Amusement device.



No; 840,214. PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

P. T. HOOVER.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION YILED JULY3. 1906.

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No. 840,214. PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

P. T. HOOVER. AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY3, 1906;

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A. I J T/ 9 v I 1 0e/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK T. HOOVER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO EDMUND D. SMITH, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

. this supplemental floor features will be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

T0 ttllwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. HOOVER, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to illusionary amusement structures especially adapted for the display of moving pictures.

The object of the invention is to provide a building comprising a room or auditorium and an entrance built in imitation of one end of a railway-car disappearing Within a tunnel. The structure also comprises a passageway for the exit of the spectators, an elevated compartment at the front end of the structure to contain moving-picture appa ratus, and a stage or platform at the opposite end of the building upon which a suitable screen is to be supported for the display of moving pictures.

he construction of the improvement Will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and its novel defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a structure embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof.

The structure comprises side walls 1 and 2, a rear wall 3, and a front 4, the front wall being provided with suitable entrances. (Not shown.) Adjacent to the side wall 1 and par.- allel thereto is a partition 5 extending from a point near the front of the structure to the rear wall 3. This partition, together with the side wall 1, provides a passage-Way 6, to which entrance is had through doors 7 in the partition, suitable exit-doors 8 being provided at the front end of the passage-way. Along the rear wall 3 is arranged a stage or platform 10, upon which a screen is to besupported for the exhibition of moving pictures.

the mam floor 12 of the building, and upon are arranged tiers of supplemental floor 11 is supported above chairs 13. Between the side wall 2 and the partition 5 is built an arch 14, said arch being constructed of masonry (or of wood or other material painted to resemble masonry-work) in imitation of the usual arched entrance of a railway-tunnel, as shown in Fig. 1. Located under the arch 14 is a car-platform 15, provided at each side with steps 16 and having secured to its inner edge avertical wall 17, representing the end wall of a railway-car and having a central door 18. The the wall 17 are each connected to a vertical support 19, arranged parallel to the side walls of the arch and connected by transverse extensions 20 to the inner sides of the arc as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The wall 17 and parallel supports 19 are provided with windows 21, and together with the platform 15 give to the structure the appearance of the end of a railway-car. The platform is provided with a railing 22, a brake-shaft 23, and a coupler-head 24, and to further carry out the imitation of a car above the wall 17 is secured a hollowroof 25, similar to the end of a car-roof, and car-wheels 26 are arranged below the platform on an axle 27. The roof provides a compartment 28, within which is arranged a moving-picture machine 29, the inner wall 30 of the compartment being provided with an opening 31 and said compartment being of suflicient size to accommodate the operator of the machine. At either side of the structure are arranged booths 32, serving as oflices for the sale of tickets.

The utility and manner of using the improved structure will be readily understood. Purchasers of tickets after mounting the platform pass through the door 18 to the inclined floor 11 and seats 13. The moving pictures are proj ected upon the screen above the platform 10 to give the illusion of a moving car passing the objects shown in the pictures. It will be apparent that the interior of the auditorium is entirely concealed at the front by the archway and the transverse wall sides of extensions 20 and that the front of the structure presents to the eye only a car disappear-v ing through a tunnel-arch. The construction also provides a convenient compartment for the accommodation of the moving-picture machine and its operator, thus utilizing space which would otherwise be useless and ters Patent, is

supporting the moving-picture machine in the most desirable position for projecting the pictures upon the screen.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let- 1. In an illusionary amusement structure, the combination with side walls, of a vertical partition adjacent to one of said side walls forming in connection therewith an exit passage-way, an arch located between the front ends of said partition and the front end of one side wall, said arch being constructed in imitation of a masonry arch, a railway-car platform arranged within said arch, a car end wall and roof above said platform, car side walls extending from said car end wall, and transverse extensions from said car side walls, secured to the inner end of the arch to close the space between the car side walls and the arch and thus conceal the interior of the structure.

2. In an illusionary amusement structure, the combination with side and end walls, and a main floor, of a supplemental inclined floor, a platform at the rear thereof, seats arranged on said inclined floor an exit-passage, an arch made to imitate the entrance to a railway-tunnel, and spanning the space between one side wall of the building, and one of the walls of the exit-passage, a railway-car end within said arch, having a hollow roof to provide a compartment for a moving-picture machine, and lateral wall extensions closing the spaces between the rear end of the arch and the sidewalls of the car end.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK T. HOOVER.

Witnesses:

MAX H. SROLOVITZ, E. E. POTTER 

